Around 9:30 p.m., Washington County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call about a man armed with a rifle walking along Highway 90.

They said that when a deputy approached Michael Snyder, 57, he raised his rifle and then ran into the woods. Backup arrived from the Holmes County Sheriff's Office and the Bonifay Police Department.

Snyder emerged from the woods and ignored commands to put down his weapon. He advanced toward officers, aiming the rifle, they said. Just before 10 p.m., Deputy Jason Stafford and Officer Jim Hall fired seven shots at Snyder, hitting him five times and killing him. Snyder was carrying a Winchester air rifle.
Read more

According to the FDLE investigation, he had been acting as though he expected police to come after him, saying that he would not be taken alive. The report also states that the person who initially called the sheriff to report Synder's erratic behavior said that he was carrying a BB rifle.